The Hero Dog
by jojocat
Summary: Cerebus helps out a teammate in trouble. (All typos and mistakes are mine. I am a very novice writer. Other than my sister, no one has read this story.) I own nothing and thank CBS and the Seal Team folks for giving us these wonderful characters.


Chapter 1

Cerberus looked at the man anxiously though the blowing snow. He wasn't moving. Cerebus had been strapped to this man when they made the jump. Unusual for him, because he was normally pair with Brock, his handler and human. Cerberus walked carefully around the man, nudging, nosing, smelling, scenting for blood and ballistics. As he moved, he tugged the man's body into a semblance of a neutral position, arms at sides, legs as straight as he could make them, by pulling on the fabric of the man's clothing. Satisfied, he went to the man's head and licked his chin. Whining, ruffing, and sniffing continued, as he tried to rouse the man.

Cerebus noticed that the man's chest was not rising and falling like his handler's did at rest. He moved to the side and began pulling on straps, his sharp teeth tearing and shifting the material that held the body armor in place. Nosing and lifting by putting a paw underneath it, it slipped up just enough for the canine to put his head down and listen for a heartbeat. No heartbeat. Cerebus remembered playing with a dummy with Brock and Brock encouraging him to jump up and down on the dummy. So Cerebus did. He jumped up and down, until the man gave a gasp. Cerebus put his head down and heard the man's heart beating. He looked around for his treat ball, but then remembered he was on duty.

Snow was falling and large snowflakes dotted Cerebus's thick coat. The tree limbs overhead offered some shelter from the snow, but it was beginning to get very dark and Cerebus wondered where the rest of his pack was. Spotting the parachute hanging from the tree, Cerebus jumped up and grabbed the material in his teeth. He shook his head mightily until the fabric fell from the branches, bringing down a considerable amount of snow. Sneezing and shaking, Cerebus cleaned as much snow off himself as he could.

After a brief rest, Cerebus pulled the fabric over to where the man was laying. He dropped the roll on top of the man, the rising and falling of the man's chest comforting. Cerebus walked around the man pulling and tugging the material over top the man, covering his arms, legs and head. Gusts of wind blew and the lightweight material shifted in the wind. Cocking his head, Cerebus considered. He remembered laying under the bed covers with the weight of arms and legs keeping him snug.

Cerebus walked around the open space looking for the man's gear and the treat ball, he was sure was around there somewhere. Spying the pack he dragged it and dropped it on the material. He noticed the material did not move so much if stuff was on top of it. Plan in mind, he pulled stuff from the pack, found the man's helmet, moved some sticks and branches over to the mound of the covered man.

He made a pile of foiled wrapped food bars and held them down with a paw, as he ripped them open with his teeth and ate. A few mouthfuls of snow completed his meal. Now fully tired and fully wet, he decided to craw under the covers with the man. Cerebus wormed in between the pile of tree branches and the man's helmet. He crawled up the man's body and lay with his head in the crook of the man's neck and most of his big body covering the man. Cerebus noticed the man did not move, although Cerebus could feel the steady beating of the man's heart. Cerebus slept.

Chapter 2

The column of five men left the shelter of tiny shelter they had made with a tarp and their own parachutes. Worry was fixed on each man's face. Ray and Trent had their heads together and decided that Clay and Cerebus dropped at least 12 clicks out of the zone. The problem was the ridge between where they were and where they thought Clay and Cerebus were. Bravo 1, this is Blackburn. We have located three snow mobiles a willing local is going to provide. The local is also going to be your guide. Move to these coordinates.

Jason Hayes, put his hand up for silence and motioned for the team to move out. Tramping through the now feet deep snow, caused the men to be silent, except for grunts as boots and gear became stuck. The column attempted to walk in the same footsteps created by the man in front, their leader. Jason was breathing hard and sweating bullets in the cold air. He did not slow his steps, except to carefully place each booted foot, wary of the uneven terrain beneath the snow. He knew if he toppled over the men behind would bunch up and it would slow them down.  
Twenty-five minutes passed, before they heard the roar of a snow mobile. A man dressed in flame orange overall, coat, hat, and gloves pulled in front of the column. He threw a rope at Jason and carved an easier path for the group of men. Making much better time, the men arrived at the other snow mobiles in minutes. Jim Parker, retired USMC, the orange clad man said, removing his glove and holding his hand out to Jason. Jason removed his glove and shook the man's hand. Quick explanations followed, the man having been fully briefed by Lt. Col. Blackburn.

You men decide who is going to be on what machine and load up. We need to make time, if we are going to front the ridge before we lose the available light. Do not try and be cowboys on these machines. You don't respect them and they will throw you off in a heap of wet snow. Jason and his men, organized themselves. He road tandem with Ray. Brock and Trent on the third machine. The final snowmobile was driven by a blonde kid, that painfully reminded them who they were looking for, with Sonny holding on to the back for dear life.

Chapter 3

Cerebus lifted his head, a very, very faint roar of something catching his attention. He crawled out of the warmish cocoon and walked around the perimeter of the space he had claimed as shelter. He did hear engines, but they seemed like they were getting far away. Running back to the man's pack, Cerebus chose something he knew would make a big noise. He went out into the open snow and wedged the ball under some branches. Then he pulled the string, and pulled it again, and then again, until it came away in his mouth. He raced back to the man and threw his body on top of him. Waiting, waiting. BOOM! The device went off and arc'd in the sky.

Sonny whipped his head around and whooped. We got him Bravo 1. Turn East and follow the smoke. The line of snowmobiles picked up as much speed as they dared, headed to their man and their dog.

As the snowmobiles got closer, they saw Cerebus jumping up and down and barking madly. Cerberus ran toward his handler and practically knocked him off the snowmobile, before it even stopped. Cerebus licked Brock's face all over, before remembering he still had work to do. Turning, he raced back to the man covered by the parachute and several inches of snow. Trent was off the snowmobile in a flash and running toward their man Clay. Bravo 1 ordered the team to flip on their helmet cams and begin sending live video back to TOC.

TOC, we have our missing Eagle, Bravo 4 and Cerebus. I say again, we have made contact with Bravo 4 and Cerebus. The men looked around the small space, noticing ropes from the parachute canopy stuck in the branches of the tree. They noticed the amount of bark sheered off and laying in a pile at the base of the tree. Panning over, they took note of the parachute covering Clay and the ring of objects holding the material in place.

Trent was deep into medic mode, with Sonny assisting. He detached the remaining straps of Clay's body armour and was checking him for broken bones. Sonny had IV fluid warming between two heat packs. Opening Clay's shirt, they noticed heavy paw shaped marks, where Cerebus had jumped up and down doing chest compressions. Damm, "Perry said," shocked at the amount of effort Cerebus had put in. Clay's vitals were surprisingly good, considering his fall from the sky. However, they could not rouse him.

Brock, ask Cerebus if Clay woke up at all. Cerebus, put his paw over his eyes in a sad gesture, understanding what Jason was asking. But, he kept breathing? Woof, woof, Cerebus agreed.

Brock had finished his initial exam of Cerebus and was putting warm foot covers on his paws. He wiped down Cerebus's side with antiseptic wipes and Cerebus whined at the sting. He looked at his side and saw that he had rubbed some of his fur off, down to the skin in his descent down the tree. Taking a roll of spongy bandage, Brock wrapped it all around Cerebus's middle, protecting the abraided skin. Brock looked deep into Cerebus's eyes, and asked, "you hurt anywhere else, buddy." Cerebus lowered his head and Brock saw that his ear was torn, both the tip and near where the cartilage connected with his head. Glue or stitches, he asked Cerebus. The dog whined and lay his head down on Brock's shoulder. Deciding to wait and let a vet take a look, Brock applied some gauze and put a knit hat on Cerebus.

"You hungry boy?" Brock asked. Woof, Woof, was the quick reply and soon a heated package of MRE beef stew was set before the hungry dog.

Twenty tense minutes had passed and Blackburn was demanding a sit rep. We are packaging Spenser to move him out, Bravo 1 reported. The men had determined that Clay had quit breathing at some point and it was likely a compression injury, when the straps of his gear had been pulled tighter than the bones in the man's chest box could accommodate. It also appeared that he had a concussion, although there was no discernible bruising to account for it. Clay's wrist was broken and it appeared his ankle was sprained. The warmed IV fluids had brought his temprature up to normal.

Chapter 4

Parker and his son had moved the snow mobiles as close to the tree's openings as they could. A litter was now attached to the second snowmobile and Clay was securely loaded with Trent at his head. A t-bar would give Trent something to hold onto as they flew over the snowing terrain and a welded back rest would give him support as he monitored his patient.

Before they left, Jason asked Cerebus where he had gotten the ordinance he used as a flare. Cerebus got into Clay's pack and pulled out a ball that looked a little bit like adobe mud, shaped like a cannonball. A long string protruded. Definitely not military issue. Jason tucked it into his pack, thinking it might come in handy to alert exfil. They team loaded up and the snowmobiles roared to life. Cerebus sat facing Brock, tucked behind Sonny who had taken over driver duties. Cerebus put his head on Brock's shoulder, exhaled a deep breath, and relaxed.

Chapter 5

The trips to the Medevac and to the base hospital were accomplished with no drama. The team, coming off the adrenaline high they had been on were quiet. Juice, energy bars, and grunt candy were passed from man to man on the chopper. Each closed their eyes for a few minutes, knowing that Clay was in the hands of competent medics. Trent was still by Clay's side, with his hand on the man's bicep, in case there was a change in consciousness.

A blast of cold air and a flurry of activity met the chopper as it landed. Clay was taken away in one direction and Brock and Cerebus in another. The rest of the team filed into the team room to describe what they had seen. Davis and two support team members collected wet gear and over clothes. Hot drinks were placed before the men, along with bowls of stew and biscuits. Blackburn debriefed the men efficiently and sent them to the showers to get fully warmed up and changed into 100% dry clothing. He knew it was useless to order them to sleep, before they knew the condition of their man.

An hour later, saw the entire team in Clay's cement walled hospital room. Cerebus was laying on a pile of warmed blankets on the floor. Silver fabric could be seen peeking out from under the pile, where a thermal tarp had been placed. Cerebus's ear had been stitched with the same care a wound on a super model's face would receive. He had been so tired, that he barely felt the pricks of the suture needle and now lay with his head on his paws and he treat ball under his chin.

"Do you think Cerebus could repeat his actions at the drop site?" Jason asked Brock. I want it filmed and I want to totally understand. Brock looked at the tired dog, laying by his thigh. "Cerb, buddy, do you have it in you?' Brock asked quietly, stroking the dog's head.

Cerebus got up from his laying spot and the men moved the pile of blankets away to make space. Jason threw a cpr practice dummy on the floor. It didn't have legs, but he did not think that would be an issue for the reinactment.

Cerebus got busy. He went to the dummy and arranged the dummy's arms and sniffed all over the rubber form, showing that he had done a fully body scan on Spenser. He chewed through the strap on the tactical vest Jason had placed on the dummy and jumped up and down on the dummy's chest. Cerebus put his ear to the dummy's mouth and lay his head on the dummy's chest.

When he was satisfied, he went over to the IV poles where Jason had draped a sheet. Pulling the sheet down, Cerebus began covering the dummy up. Using objects he found in the room, he weighed the fabric down. Then Cerebus climbed under the fabric and lay on top of the dummy.

Damm, the team breathed out. This dog has skills. Jason pulled the clay ball out of his pack and Ceberus backed away. He shook his head vigorously from side to side, knowing that he could not pull the string "inside." I get it boy, Jason laughed and tucked the device back into his pack. Ray turned the camera off he had been using to record and Davis snapped one final photo of Cerebus laying on top of the dummy.

Blackburn thought to himself that this was going to get Cerebus a medal, if not the damm Medal of Honor.

Chapter 6

Three days passed and Spenser was healing nicely. The team had taken the opportunity to rest up, play a good bit of pool, and drink a good amount of beer. Spenser was cleared to fly and Blackburn ordered the team to be ready to board a plane at 0800 hours the next day.

The team walked out to the tarmac and were surprised to see a commercial style airplane, instead of their usual cargo accommodations. Load up, first class is all Bravo's, so feel free to spread out. Trent tucked Clay up in a reclined seat with warm blankets over him. The rest of the team spread out with at least a seat between them, with the exception of Sonny and Davis and Brock and Cerebus.

Cerebus was sitting behind Clay and would occasionally check on him with a warm wet nose on his cheek. Ninety minutes before the flight was due to land, Davis pulled out garment bags with dress uniforms and instructed the men to change. Before he dressed, Brock gave Cerebus a good brushing, which had the dog nearly drooling with pleasure.

A row of government limos and black secret service SUVs met them in the hanger when they taxied in. The men were asked to transfer to the cars and they were off, lights and sirens. Within the hour, they were sitting on spindly chairs at the White House itself. Brock and Cerebus were called to the front.

The video taken at the scene was shown to the invited guests, along with Cerebus's reenactment of his actions at the hospital, with commentary provided by the voices of the team. Cerebus turned to face the audience and the Medal of Honor was placed around his neck. A specially made collar was also provided, showing the Medal's insignia of white stars on a blue background with the five pointed star hanging from a Seal Trident. Cerebus, a Seal and a Hero.


End file.
